Nightforce Parallax on Benchrest model

I have owned a few Nightforce scopes and think they are excellent except for one gripe. I'm on my second Benchrest model and find that both of them, as well as a couple of scopes owned by my buddies, have an objective parallax adjustment that isn't even close to the range marked on the bell. At 200-300 yards, the are off about 50-75 yards. Not a big deal, but considering the overall quality, price, and image of the scope, you would think that they would make an effort to get it close. I have a half dozen other scopes from a variey of makers, and cost less, that are nuts on, or off by only a fraction of the scale. Maybe I'm being too picky?

Are you adjusting out actual paralax or are you adjusting to a sharply focused target image?

Jeff

I adjust for parallax as the priority. With the majority of my higher quality scopes, focus is typically optimized at the same point, especially as the range increases. In the case of my NF Benchrest scopes they are very close if not exactly equal. It's just that the actual yardage does not coincide with the scale on the objective. I though perhaps it was my eyes but had a couple of pretty experienced shooters at my club try and their result was identicle to mine. The scopes are definitely off.

I adjust for parallax as the priority. With the majority of my higher quality scopes, focus is typically optimized at the same point, especially as the range increases. In the case of my NF Benchrest scopes they are very close if not exactly equal. It's just that the actual yardage does not coincide with the scale on the objective. I though perhaps it was my eyes but had a couple of pretty experienced shooters at my club try and their result was identicle to mine. The scopes are definitely off.

Well, I have stated before the numbers on any parallax knob are just numbers and usless. I say that because I have never had them line up on any scope I owned with numbers on the dial. I alway figured it was my eyes too. I admit I have never owned a BF nightforce, but I own several NXS's. I find it interesting they number the objective ring on the BR but not the paralax knob on the NXS. I feel all the numbers should be left off as it is such a fine tuning thing and lighting cnditions and other factors can change it.

Well, I have stated before the numbers on any parallax knob are just numbers and usless. I say that because I have never had them line up on any scope I owned with numbers on the dial. I alway figured it was my eyes too. I admit I have never owned a BF nightforce, but I own several NXS's. I find it interesting they number the objective ring on the BR but not the paralax knob on the NXS. I feel all the numbers should be left off as it is such a fine tuning thing and lighting cnditions and other factors can change it.

Jeff

The target scopes I have with the objective as the adjustment have been very close if not right on, mostly Leupolds and Weavers. However, I still set paralllax when target shooting. I just think Nightforce should do a better job.

On my higher power hunting optics, I agree with you and also ignore the dial when taking the precision long range shots. With my Mk4's and NXS side dials I tape a scale on the side knob that I have calibrated against my eys and known ranges. For those shots where time is short and the ranges are closer, it has worked well and repeatably to correct for parallax at ranges under 500 yards. As you mentioned very few companies even mark the side knobs. I will have to say that I have a few Huskemaw 5x20 scopes that have a calibrated side dial. With each, if I set parallax manually and then look at the dial, it's on the range out to 500 yards or so. They obviously pay attention to this.

as Broz eluded to, i find that on different days, i have the adjustment on different places for the same distance. you have to adjust it every time for a perfect "zero parallax". at least that's the way it seems to me. my Sightron is very critical, but i can put it on one setting and it's very close for quite a few distances which works good for hunting.

My experiences have been similar, but on different scopes (not just Nightforce).

My Zeiss is nowhere near where the indicated yardages are, and I've had some Leupolds that are the same way.
My Sightron is extremely picky with the side focus and a very minimal movement of the dial changes the focus alot (luckily the parallax is gone when the image is sharp). I once had a Springfield Armory scope that was so far off it had to be on Infinity to be focused at 400 yds!

Personally, I've seen it on enough different scopes that I kinda came to the conclusion that it was somewhat a common thing, or my eyes were just different.?

I wonder if NF quality has slipped just a little in recent years with the high demand for their scopes.? They are making way more scopes per year now then they were in the mid 90's when I got my first one. I've noticed some very minor glitches in the newer ones, but actually had to send one back (1 out of 6).